Wendy Goldman Getzler

Wendy is Kidscreen’s News Editor. When she’s not sourcing material for the brand's daily and weekly email newsletters, she’s researching, writing and connecting with others about the newest trends in digital media.

The mobile world has given emoji characters a life their own, and soon kids will have a chance to play – quite literally – in Emojiville, a new multiplatform property and toy line from Saban Brands and Jakks Pacific that will initially kick off as an original web series this fall.

With more than US$2.5 billion in retail sales, the 15-year-old Powerpuff Girls brand has been one of the most successful for Cartoon Network, which has announced the launch of an all-new animated TV series set for 2016.

The Teletubbies universe has been in global orbit for more than 10 years without any new episodes, and that’s all about to change thanks to Canada’s DHX Media and UK-based Darral Macqueen. The companies will produce 60 new episodes of the series for CBeebies in the UK.

Warner Bros. Consumer Products and Mattel are keeping their 15-year ongoing partnership alive under a new multi-year agreement that grants the toyco rights to continue as master toy licensee for the entire existing DC Comics character portfolio as well as for upcoming film and TV projects.

Margaret Loesch has been at the helm of the Discovery/Hasbro kidnet for the past five years, over which time ratings have consistently risen year-over-year and its carriage has grown to 70 million US homes.

The FIFA World Cup kicks off in Brazil on June 12, and the tournament has already made an impression on the UK toy market by representing a third of industry growth since the start of 2014. The collectors are particularly out in throngs, as themed stickers and cards make up 93% of all toy merchandise linked to the event, says NPD Group.

London-based producer and rights management company Coolabi Group’s Poppy Cat brand will expand its presence in the US and Spain following deals with licensing agents Firefly Brand Management and El Ocho. California-based Cosmic Forces is also set to develop an educational app based on the preschool series.